Posted on Friday 12th October 2018
Lindsay Jones at Newcastle Library
Families survival on the home front, Farmers staying behind to support the war effort and the work of thousands of women in munitions factories are just some of the stories being told in a multi-media exhibition.
With just over a month to go until the centenary of the Armistice, the ‘14’ exhibition continues to tell the story of Staffordshire’s home front during the Great War.
The exhibition is currently at Newcastle Library until 22 October and includes a series of short films inspired by poems written by Staffordshire’s former Poet Laureate, Tom Wyre.
Visitors will get the chance to watch a mix of live footage, archive footage and animation, highlighting the outbreak of war, the horrors of the battlefield and life on the home front in Staffordshire.
Gill Heath, Cabinet Member for Communities at Staffordshire County Council said:
“This really is a fascinating exhibition that gives a real insight into both the home front in Staffordshire and the battlefronts during the Great War.
“The exhibition and website have been incredibly popular since they first launched back in 2016 and it’s just one of many fantastic projects that are helping us commemorate the anniversary of the conflict. I’d definitely encourage people to get along to the library or to check it out online.”
Tom Wyre was Staffordshire’s Poet Laureate from 2013-2014 and was commissioned to write 18 poems about the Great War and life on the home front.
Tom said:
“I was delighted to be asked to produce the poems originally as part of the county’s plans to commemorate the Great War. The videos and animation have really brought the poems to life. Feedback on the exhibition has been very positive too, with the poems continuing to connect with people on many levels both emotionally and intellectually.”
14 was commissioned by Staffordshire County Council’s Libraries and Arts Service in partnership with the Archives and Heritage Service. The films were created by Emmy Award winners Junction 15, with Animation, Stop Motion Animation and Puppet Making students from Staffordshire University.
Following Newcastle library, The tour will move on to the Museum of Cannock Chase from 22 October to 14 December 2018 but is also available online at Staffs14